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A Message from the President

Ladies and Gentlemen, sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, mesdames et messieurs, dame et gospodo! Colleagues and friends!

On behalf of EuroCHRIE, I would like to warmly welcome you to the 29th EuroCHRIE-Conference here in Dubrovnik and to thank this year's hosts: the American College of Management and Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology for organizing this event and for having us as their guests. Special thanks to Don, Francis, and his team, Irena, Jennifer and Christina and the students – you have done such a wonderful job. We are also proud to have the ICHRIE-President, Susan Fournier, with us at this conference.

This year’s conference theme is tourism and hospitality, drivers of transition. Talking about transition, we have learned at the ICHRIE-conference in Denver already, the financial crisis and current recession has destabilized the whole world. Some of the biggest industrial countries are defaulting and need to be saved with billions of dollars in financial umbrellas. What is different, with this current recession and crisis, is that most areas and industries of the world are affected simultaneously.

In Europe the higher education budgets are cut significantly – leading to - for instance - the UK increasing their tuition fees by 300%. Consequently, affecting the whole European higher education arena and markets and our workplaces.

It is in those difficult times where we must stand together within EuroCHRIE as an institution providing stability, guidance and orientation for our members. The identity of EuroCHRIE has a long history and tradition and I am proud that we can this year celebrate our 20 anniversary of EuroCHRIE-History together

It goes back to Peter Jones as the founding EuroCHRIE-president from 1990 and Gilles Honnecker as Vice President. Back then I was told, Peter Jones went to his first ICHRIE conference in 1988 and was briefed that he was not entitled to vote unless he was part of a chapter or federation. So he did what every man with vision would do and engaged to set up the first federation and chapter. The founding members already had a huge amount of positive energy, leading to the institutionalization of what at the beginning was just an idea. It is this positive energy that we shall continue to cherish and promote the entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and innovation to take our industry and European academia further.

It is our strength that we have a strong history, are diverse in cultures, we facilitated Networking amongst its members, are a long-term organization that is financially stable, that we have a well-respected brand, are a separate part of ICHRIE and respected within the organization.

What is our vision for EuroCHRIE for 2015?

Well it is obvious that we need to develop future members:

• By reaching out to colleges and high schools to attract younger members
• By strengthening our links with industry, hotels and restaurants to gain partners
• Establishing new membership benefits such as the mentor programme, which is first taking off at this very conference.
• Establishing quotas and subsidies for developing countries to encourage widening participation and to foster the internationalization of EuroCHRIE.
• Creating differential fees for retired people, researchers and associates
• Get linkages with other web sites and providers
• Putting our brand into Journals through adverts and articles
• We need more countries, more members, more industry involvement and more revenue streams through sponsorship.

So in five years down the road our existence shall not be questioned. We may even have permanent officers installed assisting the elected executive board to become a learning organization.

Ladies and Gentlemen, with this in mind I wish us all a fabulous conference here in Dubrovnik, with plenty of culture, fruitful conversations and sessions, and finally yet importantly our EuroCHRIE-Spirit!

Presidentially yours,

Robert F. Wetterauer

EuroCHRIE-President